Garrison Calls for Shortening of Legislative Session:
Wants to Use Funds for Senior Nutrition

Senator Earl
Garrison has called for leaders in the Oklahoma Legislature to cut
the legislative session short in order to be accountable to the people
of Oklahoma and save hard working taxpayer dollars. Garrison said in a
year when the state is facing more than a billion dollar budget hole,
legislators should focus solely on budget related bills and agree to end
the annual legislative session early.

“I’ve talked with the people in my district and they want
to know what we are doing to share in their pain,” Garrison said.
“For months legislative leaders have said we need to tighten our
belts, just like Oklahoma families, and I couldn’t agree more, and
one way to do that is by cutting session short.”

Garrison said bills unrelated to the budget are often ripe with special
interest giveaways that offer little in the way of transparency and oversight.

“Cutting the session short would allow us to by-pass these wasteful
practices and allow us to concentrate on fixing the problems related to
this budget crisis,” Garrison said. “People are tired of Legislators
doing nothing while their families are hurting and this sends the right
message that we want to get our job done in
an efficient manner.”

Garrison said the money saved by cutting session short could be used to
fund the senior nutrition program that was slashed in October because
of budget cuts.

“Seniors are hurting and they are hungry and we have to find a way
to fund this life-saving service to our greatest generation,” Garrison
said.